Training camp preview: Cornerbacks

Bill Huber

07/20/2008

A quick look at the players who will battle for playing time in training camp

By almost any measure, the Green Bay Packers' pass defense was one of the best in the NFL last season.

The Packers ranked second by allowing opposing quarterbacks to complete merely 55.2 percent of their passes last season. Based on a 75.6 passer rating, the Packers boasted the sixth-best pass defense in the NFL. They tied for sixth with 19 interceptions.

Here's a quick look at the Packers' cornerbacks heading into training camp. For a more in-depth breakdown, check out the two cornerbacks stories available only to Packer Report subscribers.

Starters: Al Harris (33) and Charles Woodson (31) are a combined 64 years old, but few tandems are better. Especially because of what's asked of them. Harris had his problems at times last season — he was dominated by the Giants' Plaxico Burress in the NFC title game — but he won more often than he lost while facing the opponent's No. 1 receiver every week. Harris is a proud athlete, so don't write him off.

Nickel cornerback: Tramon Williams excelled as the No. 3 cornerback at the end of last season, and he enters training camp as a prohibitive favorite to keep the job. Jarrett Bush couldn't handle the job last season, Will Blackmon can't stay healthy and Pat Lee is a rookie.

Bill Huber writes for Packer Report. E-mail him at packwriter2002@yahoo.com